Sometimes, our friends with whom we make travel plans also ditch us at the last moment. Because of this reason, many people prefer travelling solo as one has all the freedom to do things as they like. But let’s admit it: though travelling solo might sound like a good idea, loneliness often kicks in. Because of this, we end up feeling sad and alone, which nobody wants to go through. After all, travel is supposed to be a joyful experience, full of fun and adventure. However, with the right approach, you can make many new friends while travelling solo, which is one of the best aspects of travelling solo. So, to help you have a great time, here are a couple of tips to make friends on a solo trip.
If you’ve ever tried staying in a hostel, you’ll know that people come in as strangers and leave as friends. Some hostels also have a common dining and recreational activities area where one can socialise with others and decide who they want to be friends with. In addition to being a cost-effective option, travellers choose to stay at hostels because of the social factor involved.
It shouldn’t come as a surprise that to make friends, you have to be friendly and approachable. Nobody would want to be your friend if you don’t care about socialising with others and only care about yourself. In contrast, maintaining a friendly aura would make you much more approachable to other people. Now, if you’re an introvert, then the advice “fake it until you make it” actually works here.
Group tours are small tours primarily catered for solo travellers, often limited to six or eight people. These tours are a great opportunity to connect with others. You’ll have a guide leading you and other like-minded individuals who enjoy a planned group tour.
You will understand a culture better by immersing yourself in learning a couple of phrases of the local language. This is because culture and language are inseparable. Learning a language will help you engage with the locals and also help in forming friendships with them. Though it’s obvious you won’t become fluent in this short span of time, the locals will really appreciate your efforts in trying to understand their language.
If you’re looking to get the latest updates online, backpacker groups offer a hub of information. The best part about these online groups is that not only the members of these groups are active, but they are also looking to make new friends at a new place. Reddit and Facebook are two great social networking sites that gain better insight and interact with people residing in a particular area.